Window screen catch



- Dec. 1, 1931- 1;. D. ARTHUR 1,834,371

WINDOW SCREEN CATCH Filed Oct. 24, 1929 INVENTOR mf. mf

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 1, 1931 UN T STATES I EDWARD 1).,ARTIIUR, OFLEALO AIITO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO ARTHUR IVIETAL PROD- UCTS COMPANY LTD., OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALI- FORNIA winnow sonnnn CATCH Application filed October 24, 1929. Serial No. 402,207.

My invention relates to catches especially adapted for window screens of the roller type. In such screensjit is customary to use a spring roller upon which the screen is 5 wound, the free end ofthescreen being se-' cured to a rigid cross bar whose ends slide in suitable guide ways' formed in the sides of the window frame, In order to hold the screen extended, against the tension of the roller-spring, suitable catches are provided for locking the cross bar. My invention relates to these catches, and its objects are to provide means whereby the screen is automat'ically locked in extended position, by the simple operation of drawing it across the window opening; to provide catches that are easily and quickly released, are not subject to derangement, and which form convenient handlesby which theretraction of the screen may be controlled; and further to provide means for frictionally braking the retracting movement in case the spring be stronger than necessary. 7

Although my inventionis illustrated and v described as applied to a roller screen, it will be apparent that it is equally applicable to other forms of sliding objects. It should be understood, moreover, that the form, con structlon and arrangement of the several parts herein described and illustrated may be varied, within the limits of the claims hereto appended, without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in said claims.

It has been thought superfluous to illustrate, in the accompanying drawings, the upper portion of the screen and the roller upon which it is wound, such being well known in the art. It'is assumed, for purposes of illustration, that the screen is wound upon a Fig. 2.

spring actuated roller positioned horizon- In the drawings, the reference numeral 11 designates the screen, the lower end of which is secured to a rigid cross bar 12, commonly of angle sectionsteel. The vertical portion of said bar is extended at its ends, as shown at 13, and said extensionsslide in vertical grooves 14 formedin the side members 15 of the, window frame. So much is common practicein screens of this type. It is also customary to line. the grooves 15 with light steel channels 16 of U-section, forming tracks or runways in which the ends 13 of the cross bar 12 slide' In applying my catch, I provide the grooves 14 with lateral shoulders 17, Fig. 8, neartheir lower ends. These shoulders are engaged bythe catches, as will be explained later, and in order to keep them from wearing, and to insure proper operation, I prefer to employ keepers at the lower ends of the grooves. Each keeper is formed from aflat strip of metal 18 of suitable thickness, and is bent into U-shape with one long leg 19 and one short leg 20. An offset 21 isformed' in the long leg, which provides the shoulder 17. The U-shaped keeper is secured in the bottom of the slot 14, as shown in Fig. 3, and when the metal guide 16 is employed, its lower end is preferably attached to the keeper. One sidev of the guide is preferably secured, by welding, to the long leg 20 of the keeper above the shoulder 17, and the other side of said guide may be either welded to the short leg 19, or is retained behind an offset 22 formed in the bottom of the keeper near said short leg. The shoulder 17 may of course, be formed directly in the well of the groove 14, or in the metalguide 16, but more satisfactory results are obtained by the use of the keeper above described, which can be made of heavier metal than is ordinarily used for the guide.

The catch members proper consist of plates 23 positioned at the ends of the cross bar 12 and hinged thereto at their bottoms. F orwardly extending lugs forming handles 24 tures28formed near the bottom of the catch member. A flatspring29 lies between the catch member and the vertical portion of the cross bar, and presses said catch member forwardly to cause its tongue 25 to engage the shoulder 17. One end oi said spring is preferably attached to the back of the catch member, as' bywelding, and its other end is free. In orderto' provide room'for said spring, I prefer to oiisetthe lower portion of the catch member, and also its tongue 25, inwardly, as shown.

It will be seen that my catches engage automaticallyxwhen the cross bar 12 is drawn down. Thus only one hand is needed to pull the screen into position, grasping the bar 12 at its middle and sliding it downwardly until the catch tongues 25 engage the shoulders 17. Toraise the screen, the catch handles 24 are grasped, one with each hand, and pressed rearwardly, thus freeing the tongues 25 from the shoulders 17. The grasp upon the handles24t is a convenient one, and may be continued to control the upward movement of the bar 12. It the roller spring is too strong, tending to make the bar 12 fly upward too quickly, a slight forward pressure on the handles2 l will cause the tongues 25 to bind against "the sides of :the' slots 14, thereby braking'and retarding the movement of said bar with a minimum of effort.

On account 01 the simple form of my catch, and the simple nature of its hingeconnection with the cross bar, it is possible to make all the parts of the device from inexpensive stampings, and still preserve such strength and ruggedness that long life is insured.

he simple construction also prevents sticking from the effect of paint on and around'the workingparts.

I claim 1. In a device for the described purpose, a sliding member having a portion traveling in a groove, a catch comprising a substantially fiat plate hinged atone edge to said member, said catch having a portion extending into said groove adjacent to the portion of said member therein, and a shoulder formed upon a wall of said groove and adapted for engagement by the portion of said catch lying' therein.

2. In a device for the described purpose, a horizontally disposed vertically movable angle bar having end extensions traveling in verticalgrooves, catch members positioned at the ends of said bar and hinged thereto in the interior angle thereof, said catch members extending into said grooves adjacent to the extensions of said bar, and shoulders formed upon the walls of said grooves adapted 'for engagement by said catch members.

3. The combination with a slidable member having a portion traveling in a groove, a catch movably carried by said member outside said groove, said catch having a portionlyingadjacent the portion of said member within said groove,zand aU-fshaped keeper closing the end of said groove, one leg of said keeper extending upwardly and having a shoulder adapted for engagement by the portion otsaid catch-member lying Within said groove.

4. In a device for the described purpose, a movable bar having its ends traveling in guides, -a pair of catches formed of substantially flat plates hinged at one edge to said bar and-positioned substantially parallel to the face thereof, each of said catches having an extended end portion, keepers associated with said guides, and resilient means for moving said catches to cause their end portions to'engage said keepers.

In a device for the described purpose, a substantially horizontal vertically movable bar having its ends traveling in guides, a pair of catches formed-of substantially flat plates hinged at their lower edges to said bar and positioned substantially parallel to the facethereof, each of said catches having a forwardly bent upper portion'forming ahandie; keepers'associated with said guides, and resilient means for moving said catches to cause theirend portions to engage said keepers.

6, In a device for the described; purpose, a substantially horizontal verticallymovable anglebar having a vertical flange whose ends travel in guides and a horizontal flange forming a. h and hold, a pair of catches formed of substantially flatplates hinged at one edge to said barand positioned substantially parallel to the facethereof, each of said catches having an extended end portion, keepers associated with said guides, and resilient means for moving said catches to cause their end portions to engage said keepers.

7. In a "device for the described purpose, a movable bar having-its end traveling in a guide, a catch formed of a substantially fiat plate mounted upon said bar in a. position substantially parallel to the face thereof for movementtoward and away therefrom, said catch having a handle portion and a latch portion, and detent means associated with said guide for engagement by said latch portion to lock said bar.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

EDWVARD D. ARTHUR. 

